UVM PACE is offering two spots for their third annual Cannabis Media Fellowship to qualified media/journalists who are seeking to expand their knowledge about up-to-date evidence-based information about cannabis production - from seed to sale. 

Journalists will learn about cannabis chemicals, genetics, agricultural best practices, post-harvest handling, and processing. Students will also examine how cannabis affects the human body through basic pharmacology and the different modes of administration. In addition to the course, media fellows gain access to experts in the program to better frame areas of interest for their future coverage of cannabis in the media. 

In 2022 and 2023, Cannabis Media Fellows completed their courses with rave reviews, some of whom are now involved in UVM PACE Cannabis coursework as guest presenters. 

"UVM's Cannabis Media Fellowship is an excellent comprehensive program for journalists seeking to broaden their knowledge of cannabis science. The series of excellent lectures from UVM professors provided me with a strong foundation of knowledge in biology, horticulture, pharmacology, and more, and I was invited to consider new ways to research and write about cannabis with interesting assignments. Dr. McHenry and Dr. Klumpers were wonderful instructors, always available to answer questions and give thought-provoking feedback. I learned a huge amount, thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the program, and highly recommend it to anyone reporting on the cannabis industry."

~  MaryJane Gibson, Freelance Writer at Vox.com and RollingStone.com

"UVM's Cannabis Media Fellowship gave me an excellent education on the fundamental science of cannabis. From plant taxonomy to cannabinoid pharmacology and much more, this program is an excellent program for journalists looking to ground their reporting on cannabis in science, rather than popular myths and narratives that are often incorrect. The thoughtful lectures and attentive instruction from Dr. Klumpers and Dr. McHenry helped translate the material from peer-reviewed science to real-world applications."

~  Lester Black, Cannabis Editor at SFGate.com

"I'd wholeheartedly recommend this fellowship to any journalist who wants to strengthen their reporting on cannabis business and policy. Dr. McHenry and Dr. Klumpers put a ton of thought into creating modules that helped demystify the often complex biology and chemistry of the cannabis plant — I feel like I'm much more prepared to evaluate scientific literature on how cannabis is grown, its myriad effects on the human body and the environment in order to tell much deeper, richer stories. Any journalist who wants to dive into the fascinating world of cannabis would be well-served with this course."

~  Jeremy Berke, Senior Reporter at Business Insider

Read More About Jeremy's Experience in UVM Cannabis Science and Medicine Course

“As a member of the inaugural class of UVM Cannabis Media Fellows, I jumped at the chance to dive deeper into my beat coverage area. Journalists often aren't able to dedicate as much time to learning as we'd like, so this fellowship was a welcome opportunity to spend weeks researching, reading and asking questions about all things cannabis. I gained both scientific and medical perspectives on the subject from a virtual classroom of field professionals who've dedicated decades to better understanding it. I'd recommend this fellowship to any cannabis reporter who wants to expand the breadth and depth of their knowledge.”

~  Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Business Reporter at The Denver Post

"As a working journalist covering the cannabis space – not to mention a UVM alumnus – I had a pretty good idea from the outset that I’d benefit from being part of the UVM PACE Cannabis Media Fellowship program. What I didn’t realize, though, was just how quickly what I’d learned in class would inform my coverage. On more than one occasion, something I learned in the class materials came into play on stories I was writing the very same week.   

I applied for the fellowship hoping that a professional certificate in Cannabis Plant Biology would provide me with the foundational building blocks I needed to make my writing on the topic of cannabis more accurate and informed. And it has absolutely done that. It has also taught me just how much misinformation exists out there -- and how not to unwittingly perpetuate it in my role as a journalist.

As all things marijuana move more mainstream, the number of researchers, reporters and editors scaling the cannabis learning curve is going explode. Think of this class as the mountaineering gear that’ll help you summit with confidence. I can’t recommend it highly enough."

~ Adam Tschorn, Senior Feature Writer at the LA Times

Read More About Adam's Experience in the UVM Cannabis Plant Biology Course